media-releases

More Support For Victorians Who Have A Disability

May 14, 2016

Work is underway to make Victoria fairer and more inclusive for the one in five Victorians who have a disability.

Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing Martin Foley today announced community consultation on the Victorian State Disability Plan 2017-2020 is about to get under way with the plan due to be in place by 1 January 2017.

The plan will determine we want to achieve over the next four years to ensure people with a disability can participate fully in everyday life.

While Victorians with a disability are a diverse group, they are overall more likely to experience discrimination, live in poverty, have poorer health, lower levels of education and be unemployed.

To maximise the benefits of the NDIS and to make sure people with a disability are able to fully participate, we need to do more as a community.

The Victorian State Disability Plan 2017–2020 Discussion Paper has been informed by conversations with many people over the past year and it explores four themes – active citizenship, rights and equality, economic participation and making the most of the NDIS.

The Victorian Budget 2016/2017 is providing $3.3 million to kick-start initiatives under the Plan including leadership scholarships for people with a disability, support for Changing Places to ensure public toilets are accessible and an economic strategy to improve participation in the workforce.

“Victoria has a proud history of supporting those in our community who have a disability; but we need to do better and it is a responsibility we all share, as a government, as businesses, as a community and as individuals.”

“We want all Victorians to share their views on what we need to do to prioritise the needs of people with a disability.”

“Our vision is for an inclusive Victoria, which enables people with a disability to live satisfying everyday lives. Your view on how we can dismantle the barriers and achieve this is important.”